Protein Metabolism

Lecture 4
Metabolism of glycine and sulphur
containing amino acids

Department of Biochemistry
NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences, Nagpur.
Purpose Statement:

By the end of this lecture, students shall be

able to
• describe the functions of glycine and
sulphur containing amino acids (cysteine,
cystine and methionine)
Sr Learning Objectives Domain Level Criteria Conditi
No on

1 Describe the cognitive Must two

functions of glycine know

2 describe the cognitive Must -

metabolism of know
sulphur- containing
amino acids
 CREATININE
GLUTATHIONE PURINE

G
L
THERAPEUTIC VALUE
IN MUSCLE DISEASE HEME

Y
STIMULATES
GLUCONEOGENESIS
C
SERINE
“PROTEIN EFFECT”
I
HIPPURIC ACID N
E GLYCOCHOLIC ACID

GLYOXALIC ACID + NH3

Formaldehyde Oxalate Malate

GLYCINURIA – Defect in renal transport of glycine

GLYCINEMIA – Cause unknown. Early death

PRIMARY HYPEROXALURIA – Urolithiasis, Nephrolithiasis

2. Glycine Acetic acid
4. Glycine CO2 + NH4 + + N5N10CH2FH4
Glycine synthase
complex

Glycine CO2 + NH4 + + NADH + H+

SULFUR CONTAINING AMINO ACID

CYSTINE - CYSTEINE

Non essential
Glycogenic
INTERCONVERTABLE
Used for the synthesis of INSULIN, GSH, CoA, VASOPRESSIN AND IN DETOXIFICATION
 Cysteine

Direct Oxidative Transamination

Cysteine Sulfinate Pathway 3 Mercapto Pyruvate pathway

CYSTINURIA : Due to renal tubular defect cysteine in urine increases 20-30 times.

Cysteine is insoluble and hence PRECIPITATES in tubules forming cystine calculi

CYSTINOSIS : INHERITED. Deposition of calculi in many tissues including kidney

early death
Used for the synthesis of
Sulfate esters of
Alcohol
Phenol
Steroids
polysaccarides
L- HOMOCYSTEINE
 Summary

• Glycine serves many important functions in the body

• Cysteine and cystine are interconvertable
• PAPS is an important substance synthesised from
Sulphur containing amino acids
• Transmethylation reaction, homocysteine and SAM
are important aspects of methionine
 Bibliography

1. Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry, 8th Edi. Murray &

Bender

2. Text Book of Biochemistry,6th edi

Vasudevan & Sreekumari S

3. Lippincott’s Biochemistry, 5th edi.

Harvey & Ferrier
Commonly asked questions in university exams

• Functions of glycine (4m)

• Transmethylation (4m)
Thank you